Scientists in Australia are reporting successful preliminary trials for a pill filled with a mix of probiotics and tiny amounts of peanut to build tolerance to peanut allergies.

Study author Dr. Mimi Tang told the medical journal Lancet Child and Adolescent Health that roughly four out of five children who achieved tolerance after the first trial of the probiotic peanut pill were still eating peanuts four years later and seven in 10 of them had passed a "tolerance challenge."

In the first study, four years ago, 56 children took the pill once daily for 18 months. In this most recent study, 48 of the 56 participated.

"What we found was that the majority of children who achieved tolerance after the end of treatment in the original study were still eating peanuts four years after having stopped their treatment," Tang said. She said the team of scientists were trying to "reprogram the immune response away from allergy towards tolerance."

"So we were very excited by these findings because to us it really shows that the probiotic-peanut combination can actually change the immune response to peanut and provide benefits, long-term, years after having stopped the treatment," she said.

]]>MyLoupe/UIG via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- A new study may spell hope for millions who suffer from peanut allergies.

Scientists in Australia are reporting successful preliminary trials for a pill filled with a mix of probiotics and tiny amounts of peanut to build tolerance to peanut allergies.

Study author Dr. Mimi Tang told the medical journal Lancet Child and Adolescent Health that roughly four out of five children who achieved tolerance after the first trial of the probiotic peanut pill were still eating peanuts four years later and seven in 10 of them had passed a "tolerance challenge."

In the first study, four years ago, 56 children took the pill once daily for 18 months. In this most recent study, 48 of the 56 participated.

"What we found was that the majority of children who achieved tolerance after the end of treatment in the original study were still eating peanuts four years after having stopped their treatment," Tang said. She said the team of scientists were trying to "reprogram the immune response away from allergy towards tolerance."

"So we were very excited by these findings because to us it really shows that the probiotic-peanut combination can actually change the immune response to peanut and provide benefits, long-term, years after having stopped the treatment," she said.

]]>New study offers hope for early Lyme disease diagnosishttp://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/801161b720b8e008a74ca64b6aa132cd
Thu, 17 Aug 2017 07:34:00 -0500http://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/801161b720b8e008a74ca64b6aa132cdiStock/Thinkstock (NEW YORK) -- Researchers may now be able to detect Lyme disease in its earliest stages and differentiate it from other tick-borne ailments with similar symptoms, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

The new research is creating a buzz within the medical community, as one of the major setbacks when it comes to properly diagnosing Lyme disease is that it can appear very similar to other ailments spread by ticks, including Southern tick-associated rash illness (often dubbed STARI). In addition, current Lyme disease tests available often produce unreliable results within the first four to six weeks of infection.

Researchers looked at blood samples of people who were both confirmed positive for Lyme disease and the samples of a set who were confirmed positive for STARI. By examining the molecular features of both sets, they were able to create a model that detected Lyme disease cases more accurately than standard diagnostic tests.

"We were able to tell the difference between early Lyme disease and Southern tick-associated rash illness by using biomarkers that show us how the body reacts to these illnesses," John Belisle, a professor at Colorado State University and one of the authors of the study said in a statement. "This could be important in helping to more accurately detect early Lyme disease, which is crucial because the longer people wait for Lyme disease treatment, the higher the potential risk for having more severe symptoms."

Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 300,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, according to studies conducted by the CDC. Most cases in the U.S. occur in the Northeast and Midwest.

Symptoms of untreated Lyme disease includes facial palsy, severe headaches, episodes of dizziness, problems with short-term memory and nerve pain, according to the CDC.

]]>iStock/Thinkstock (NEW YORK) -- Researchers may now be able to detect Lyme disease in its earliest stages and differentiate it from other tick-borne ailments with similar symptoms, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

The new research is creating a buzz within the medical community, as one of the major setbacks when it comes to properly diagnosing Lyme disease is that it can appear very similar to other ailments spread by ticks, including Southern tick-associated rash illness (often dubbed STARI). In addition, current Lyme disease tests available often produce unreliable results within the first four to six weeks of infection.

Researchers looked at blood samples of people who were both confirmed positive for Lyme disease and the samples of a set who were confirmed positive for STARI. By examining the molecular features of both sets, they were able to create a model that detected Lyme disease cases more accurately than standard diagnostic tests.

"We were able to tell the difference between early Lyme disease and Southern tick-associated rash illness by using biomarkers that show us how the body reacts to these illnesses," John Belisle, a professor at Colorado State University and one of the authors of the study said in a statement. "This could be important in helping to more accurately detect early Lyme disease, which is crucial because the longer people wait for Lyme disease treatment, the higher the potential risk for having more severe symptoms."

Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 300,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, according to studies conducted by the CDC. Most cases in the U.S. occur in the Northeast and Midwest.

Symptoms of untreated Lyme disease includes facial palsy, severe headaches, episodes of dizziness, problems with short-term memory and nerve pain, according to the CDC.

]]>'Healthy Living for Summer': Travel tips for eating smart and staying activehttp://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/591d16d2bd456e246002db78a296a77c
Wed, 16 Aug 2017 16:29:00 -0500http://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/591d16d2bd456e246002db78a296a77cImage Source White/iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- It can be easy to overindulge while traveling, but that may lead to feelings of regret once the vacation is over. How can we travel in a way where we maintain our balance and health. In the eighth episode of ABC News' "Healthy Living for Summer" series, we spoke with Julieanna Hever, a plant-based dietitian.

"If it's a really long flight I'll bring food with me, but if it's a short flight I'll eat when I get there," Hever said. "I'll eat whole foods as much as possible, not packaged foods which can be high in saturated fats, salts, sugars and oils."

Below are a list of tips Hever gave ABC News.

Quick tips

• Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions about the menus at restaurants

• Use apps to help you locate healthier foods and markets

• Plan ahead - will there be ways to exercise, will there be a kitchen, can you bring food, how are you traveling and for how long

• Look at a menu with "green goggles" and if there is no option you like ask to mix what's available (for example: ask the waiter if they can take mushrooms from one plate and asparagus from another to make a new dish)

]]>Image Source White/iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- It can be easy to overindulge while traveling, but that may lead to feelings of regret once the vacation is over. How can we travel in a way where we maintain our balance and health. In the eighth episode of ABC News' "Healthy Living for Summer" series, we spoke with Julieanna Hever, a plant-based dietitian.

"If it's a really long flight I'll bring food with me, but if it's a short flight I'll eat when I get there," Hever said. "I'll eat whole foods as much as possible, not packaged foods which can be high in saturated fats, salts, sugars and oils."

Below are a list of tips Hever gave ABC News.

Quick tips

• Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions about the menus at restaurants

• Use apps to help you locate healthier foods and markets

• Plan ahead - will there be ways to exercise, will there be a kitchen, can you bring food, how are you traveling and for how long

• Look at a menu with "green goggles" and if there is no option you like ask to mix what's available (for example: ask the waiter if they can take mushrooms from one plate and asparagus from another to make a new dish)

]]>Cholera in Yemen: What you need to knowhttp://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/fc21c146468bafa36252125f81ad7823
Wed, 16 Aug 2017 13:30:00 -0500http://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/fc21c146468bafa36252125f81ad7823gelmold/iStock/Thinkstock(ATLANTA) -- Cholera has infected half a million people in the Middle Eastern nation of Yemen so far this year, according to a statement released this week by the World Health Organization -- and an estimated 2,000 of those people have already died from it. Health officials say 5,000 people in this country continue to become infected each day.

Below are answers provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to some of the more common questions about this ancient but nonetheless devastating disease.

What is cholera?

Cholera is an illness caused by the bacterium known as Vibrio cholerae. The infection can range from mild, with no apparent symptoms, to severe illness. Between 5 to 10 percent of those infected will suffer the worst effects of the disease, which include severe diarrhea, vomiting and leg cramps. In the most serious cases, these symptoms can rob a sufferer of his or her body fluids quickly, leading to severe dehydration and shock. In these cases, not seeking immediate treatment can ultimately lead to death.

How does someone get cholera?

The bacteria that leads to cholera is found in food or water that has been contaminated by the feces of an infected person. Because of this, cholera is most common and can spread more quickly in areas where water treatment, sanitation and hygiene practices are inadequate. Epidemics are more likely to happen in these regions because people are at greater risk of consuming food or water from sources that have been contaminated by the feces of an infected person.

This bacteria can also be found in the environment such as in briny rivers and coastal waters.

In addition, a notable but less common cause of cholera infection is consuming raw or undercooked shellfish. There have been a few documented cases of cholera infection after consumption of such preparations of shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico.

The illness is not directly contagious from person to person. This means that you can come into contact with an infected person and not have a higher risk of becoming sick, so long as you do not consume contaminated food and water.

How many people are affected worldwide?

In a given year, researchers estimate that cholera is responsible for 3 to 5 million cases of illness and over 100,000 deaths worldwide.

How long does it take to experience symptoms after you are infected?

After infection, a person can experience symptoms anywhere from within a few hours to five days later. On average, symptoms typically appear in two to three days.

Is it common in the U.S.?

The spread of cholera in the U.S. is very rare today. The real risk is to those Americans who travel to areas where cholera epidemics are common. These areas include regions of Africa, Asia, and South and Central America. Travelers returning from these regions should also be careful about what they bring home since contaminated seafood has been known to cause outbreaks of cholera in the U.S.

How is cholera treated?

Treatment includes immediate replacement of fluid and salts that the body loses in diarrhea. Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is a common form of treatment not only for cholera, but for other diarrheal illnesses worldwide. Typically, it contains a prepackaged mixture of sugar and salts that a person can mix with water. In severe cases of illness, an individual may need fluid replacement given through his or her veins (intravenous or IV fluids). When these simple treatments are employed, less than 1 percent of cholera-infected patients die.

On occasion, doctors will use antibiotic treatment in cholera; however, this step is not considered as important as prompt rehydration.

How can I avoid getting infected?

Sticking to simple precautions while visiting regions where cholera is present keeps the risk for cholera infection very low. A few quick tips:

• Only drink bottled, boiled, or chemically treated water. You should also make sure the seal is intact on bottled or canned beverages that you drink. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks and ice cubes.

• When it comes to food, either cook it or peel it -- so hot food that has recently been cooked or a raw fruit with a thick peel that you remove yourself are both relatively safe. Undercooked meats and seafood or unpeeled fruits and vegetables should be avoided.

• Use bottled, boiled or treated water for brushing your teeth, washing the dishes, washing and preparing food, and making ice.

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water -- or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water is not immediately available.

Is there a vaccine for it?

Yes, but it is not routinely recommended for most travelers from the U.S. However, if a person is traveling to an area known to have active cholera transmission, there is a vaccine option that has been recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is called Vaxchora and can be given in one dose by mouth to adults between ages 18 and 64. People considering receiving this vaccine should consult with their primary care provider to ask if it would be appropriate for them.

Although vaccines can offer protection from infectious diseases, prevention measures -- like those noted above -- should be followed as well.

Below are answers provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to some of the more common questions about this ancient but nonetheless devastating disease.

What is cholera?

Cholera is an illness caused by the bacterium known as Vibrio cholerae. The infection can range from mild, with no apparent symptoms, to severe illness. Between 5 to 10 percent of those infected will suffer the worst effects of the disease, which include severe diarrhea, vomiting and leg cramps. In the most serious cases, these symptoms can rob a sufferer of his or her body fluids quickly, leading to severe dehydration and shock. In these cases, not seeking immediate treatment can ultimately lead to death.

How does someone get cholera?

The bacteria that leads to cholera is found in food or water that has been contaminated by the feces of an infected person. Because of this, cholera is most common and can spread more quickly in areas where water treatment, sanitation and hygiene practices are inadequate. Epidemics are more likely to happen in these regions because people are at greater risk of consuming food or water from sources that have been contaminated by the feces of an infected person.

This bacteria can also be found in the environment such as in briny rivers and coastal waters.

In addition, a notable but less common cause of cholera infection is consuming raw or undercooked shellfish. There have been a few documented cases of cholera infection after consumption of such preparations of shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico.

The illness is not directly contagious from person to person. This means that you can come into contact with an infected person and not have a higher risk of becoming sick, so long as you do not consume contaminated food and water.

How many people are affected worldwide?

In a given year, researchers estimate that cholera is responsible for 3 to 5 million cases of illness and over 100,000 deaths worldwide.

How long does it take to experience symptoms after you are infected?

After infection, a person can experience symptoms anywhere from within a few hours to five days later. On average, symptoms typically appear in two to three days.

Is it common in the U.S.?

The spread of cholera in the U.S. is very rare today. The real risk is to those Americans who travel to areas where cholera epidemics are common. These areas include regions of Africa, Asia, and South and Central America. Travelers returning from these regions should also be careful about what they bring home since contaminated seafood has been known to cause outbreaks of cholera in the U.S.

How is cholera treated?

Treatment includes immediate replacement of fluid and salts that the body loses in diarrhea. Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is a common form of treatment not only for cholera, but for other diarrheal illnesses worldwide. Typically, it contains a prepackaged mixture of sugar and salts that a person can mix with water. In severe cases of illness, an individual may need fluid replacement given through his or her veins (intravenous or IV fluids). When these simple treatments are employed, less than 1 percent of cholera-infected patients die.

On occasion, doctors will use antibiotic treatment in cholera; however, this step is not considered as important as prompt rehydration.

How can I avoid getting infected?

Sticking to simple precautions while visiting regions where cholera is present keeps the risk for cholera infection very low. A few quick tips:

• Only drink bottled, boiled, or chemically treated water. You should also make sure the seal is intact on bottled or canned beverages that you drink. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks and ice cubes.

• When it comes to food, either cook it or peel it -- so hot food that has recently been cooked or a raw fruit with a thick peel that you remove yourself are both relatively safe. Undercooked meats and seafood or unpeeled fruits and vegetables should be avoided.

• Use bottled, boiled or treated water for brushing your teeth, washing the dishes, washing and preparing food, and making ice.

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water -- or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water is not immediately available.

Is there a vaccine for it?

Yes, but it is not routinely recommended for most travelers from the U.S. However, if a person is traveling to an area known to have active cholera transmission, there is a vaccine option that has been recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is called Vaxchora and can be given in one dose by mouth to adults between ages 18 and 64. People considering receiving this vaccine should consult with their primary care provider to ask if it would be appropriate for them.

Although vaccines can offer protection from infectious diseases, prevention measures -- like those noted above -- should be followed as well.

"Our findings suggest that if a patient is overweight or obese, all efforts should be made to help them get back to a healthy weight, regardless of other factors. Even if their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol appear within the normal range, excess weight is still a risk factor," Dr. Camille Lassale, the lead author of the study said in a statement to the Imperial College London announcing the findings.

Researchers analyzed thousands of incidences of coronary heart disease over a more than 12-year period in 10 countries in Europe. They found that being overweight or obese was associated with a more than 25 percent higher risk of developing coronary heart disease, even in people who did not have any other markers that reflected an increased risk of heart disease.

Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News' chief medical correspondent, said the research shows that even if people appear healthy based on blood tests today, the risk of health complications can increase over time if they are obese.

]]>iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- A new study published in the European Heart Journal Monday finds that being overweight increases your risk of coronary heart disease, even if you are otherwise considered healthy, destabilizing the common conception that someone can be "fat but fit."

"Our findings suggest that if a patient is overweight or obese, all efforts should be made to help them get back to a healthy weight, regardless of other factors. Even if their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol appear within the normal range, excess weight is still a risk factor," Dr. Camille Lassale, the lead author of the study said in a statement to the Imperial College London announcing the findings.

Researchers analyzed thousands of incidences of coronary heart disease over a more than 12-year period in 10 countries in Europe. They found that being overweight or obese was associated with a more than 25 percent higher risk of developing coronary heart disease, even in people who did not have any other markers that reflected an increased risk of heart disease.

Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News' chief medical correspondent, said the research shows that even if people appear healthy based on blood tests today, the risk of health complications can increase over time if they are obese.

]]>How animal behavior may change when the total solar eclipse darkens skieshttp://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/34029716a96596ee19d600ce4a507610
Tue, 15 Aug 2017 20:11:00 -0500http://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/34029716a96596ee19d600ce4a507610iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Animals across the country may react strangely on Monday as the first total solar eclipse to traverse the sky above the continental United States in decades takes place, experts say.

"In total solar eclipses, there are observations of animals going to sleep," Rick Schwartz, an animal behavior expert with the San Diego Zoo, told ABC News. "The animals take the visual cues of the light dimming, and the temperature cues."

"You hear the increase of bird calls and insects that you usually associate with nightfall," Schwartz added. "Farmers have said that the cows lay down on the field or the chickens go back into the coop."

Schwartz emphasized that reports of animals going berserk during solar eclipses is "anecdotal."

"The reality is that because of the infrequency of solar eclipses, and because when it does happen, it is usually not in the same place, it is very hard to have actual scientific findings," Schwartz said of animal behavior during solar eclipses. "There have been observations at other zoos that animals didn’t react, which is also something to be noted."

NASA has released a list of zoos across the country that are within the eclipse's path of totality and hosting special events on Aug. 21.

"Our animals are (we believe) completely unaware of the impending astronomical event," zookeepers at the Nashville Zoo in Tennesee wrote in a blogpost. "We are very curious to see how our animal collection will react to a false dusk, night and dawn taking place over the course of a few hours in the middle of the day."

The Nashville Zoo is inviting visitors to record their observations of animal behavior during the eclipse and is giving out free protective glasses to the first 5,000 guests on the day of the eclipse.

Schwartz told ABC News that as for house pets, their behavior is not likely to change, as "domestic animals that live with humans, their cues come from our behavior."

Meanwhile, in an attempt to gain more insight into animal behavior during an eclipse, the California Academy of Sciences has launched a nationwide citizen scientist project, calling on participants to closely monitor the behavior of an individual organism during the upcoming eclipse and record their observations using an app.

Schwartz said that the technology available to Americans now versus when the last total solar eclipse passed over the country may result in new findings.

"That is exciting to see what will come up, we might end up with a lot more data than we’ve had before," Schwartz said.

He also encouraged eclipse watchers to take a moment to observe the behavior of animals for themselves on Monday.

"I would say if you are going to be out looking at the eclipse, as exciting and interesting as it is to watch, take a second or two to look away from the eclipse and listen for the wild birds and wild animals, and see what it is like when the planet goes dark," he said. "What do you observe?"

]]>iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Animals across the country may react strangely on Monday as the first total solar eclipse to traverse the sky above the continental United States in decades takes place, experts say.

"In total solar eclipses, there are observations of animals going to sleep," Rick Schwartz, an animal behavior expert with the San Diego Zoo, told ABC News. "The animals take the visual cues of the light dimming, and the temperature cues."

"You hear the increase of bird calls and insects that you usually associate with nightfall," Schwartz added. "Farmers have said that the cows lay down on the field or the chickens go back into the coop."

Schwartz emphasized that reports of animals going berserk during solar eclipses is "anecdotal."

"The reality is that because of the infrequency of solar eclipses, and because when it does happen, it is usually not in the same place, it is very hard to have actual scientific findings," Schwartz said of animal behavior during solar eclipses. "There have been observations at other zoos that animals didn’t react, which is also something to be noted."

NASA has released a list of zoos across the country that are within the eclipse's path of totality and hosting special events on Aug. 21.

"Our animals are (we believe) completely unaware of the impending astronomical event," zookeepers at the Nashville Zoo in Tennesee wrote in a blogpost. "We are very curious to see how our animal collection will react to a false dusk, night and dawn taking place over the course of a few hours in the middle of the day."

The Nashville Zoo is inviting visitors to record their observations of animal behavior during the eclipse and is giving out free protective glasses to the first 5,000 guests on the day of the eclipse.

Schwartz told ABC News that as for house pets, their behavior is not likely to change, as "domestic animals that live with humans, their cues come from our behavior."

Meanwhile, in an attempt to gain more insight into animal behavior during an eclipse, the California Academy of Sciences has launched a nationwide citizen scientist project, calling on participants to closely monitor the behavior of an individual organism during the upcoming eclipse and record their observations using an app.

Schwartz said that the technology available to Americans now versus when the last total solar eclipse passed over the country may result in new findings.

"That is exciting to see what will come up, we might end up with a lot more data than we’ve had before," Schwartz said.

He also encouraged eclipse watchers to take a moment to observe the behavior of animals for themselves on Monday.

"I would say if you are going to be out looking at the eclipse, as exciting and interesting as it is to watch, take a second or two to look away from the eclipse and listen for the wild birds and wild animals, and see what it is like when the planet goes dark," he said. "What do you observe?"

]]>Mom refuses brain tumor trial to save unborn babyhttp://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/aa3d6508a1de477f60a82afab3c3d105
Tue, 15 Aug 2017 18:44:00 -0500http://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/aa3d6508a1de477f60a82afab3c3d105Sonya Deklyen Nelson(WYOMING, Mich.) -- Carrie Deklyen is currently 21 weeks pregnant and on a ventilator and feeding tube. Her family says she chose to delay her own treatments for a life-threatening tumor to save her unborn baby. Now, they wait.

Deklyen, 37, started having headaches in April. After the Wyoming, Michigan, mom woke up vomiting one morning and made a trip to the emergency room, doctors discovered a brain tumor.

She was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, a highly aggressive brain tumor. According to the American Brain Tumor Association, the "highly malignant" tumor spread quickly.

Deklyen had brain surgery to try to remove the tumor. A few weeks later, her sister-in-law Sonya Nelson said that she found out she was pregnant.

Though Deklyen had been planning to participate in a clinical trial at the University of Michigan, her family said, she was told she would need to terminate the pregnancy in order to do so.

"I asked her what she wanted to do. She said, 'We are keeping it,'" Carrie's husband Nick Deklyen told ABC News. "That always was my choice too, but I wanted her to decide because it was her life we were talking about."

Deklyen then had three additional brain surgeries at Michigan Medicine, part of the University Michigan, the family said. Though the tumor was removed twice, it grew back.

On July 27, Nelson drove Carrie Deklyen to the emergency room because she was having severe headaches.

"We thought she would have some fluid removed from her brain and we would head home, but instead she suffered a stroke," Sonya Nelson told ABC News.

"It has been almost three weeks since that day and Carrie has still not woken up," Nelson continued. "Some days we are hopeful that she will wake up because she will wiggle her toes or squeeze our hand. We want her to wake up."

Nelson said the family was told the prognosis is not good, but the baby could survive.

"We are just hoping she can hold on long enough to deliver the baby," she said.

Nick Deklyen said it's been difficult for their other children. The Michigan couple already has five kids -- Elijah, 18, Isaiah, 16, Nevaeh, 11, Lelia, 4, and Jez, 2.

"The older ones obviously understand everything so it is very hard on them," Nick Deklyn said. "They love their mother and know what they are losing. We talk about good times and laugh and then sometimes we just cry because we hurt so much. The younger two do not really understand what is happening. They know they sleep at Aunt Sonya's all the time and do not see Mommy anymore. We tell them that Mommy is really sick."

The hospital told ABC News that she is "on a good path to get through the pregnancy."

"Carrie’s condition is slowly improving, but she’s still critically ill," a spokesperson for the University of Michigan hospital told ABC News. "She is opening her eyes and following commands, like squeezing her hands and wiggling her toes. Our maternal fetal medicine specialists and neurosurgical teams continue to support the DeKlyen family in optimizing care for Carrie and her baby during this difficult situation. We will continue to do everything we can to support them."

Nick Deklyen told ABC News that Carrie is "kind and loving to everyone she meets." He said she would cook meals for neighbors, took her kids on picnics and tucked them in every night.

"I want the world to know that Carrie is truly one of a kind," he said. "She is the most selfless person I have ever met. Her love for Jesus shined through in everything she did. I will miss her so much, but I know we will meet again in heaven when time is done."

The couple picked a name for their unborn daughter -- Life -- and Nick Deklyen said he plans to tell her all about Carrie.

"I will tell her how amazing her mother was," he said. "I will tell her of the great sacrifice that her mom made for her. My kids have been so lucky to call her Mom."

]]>Sonya Deklyen Nelson(WYOMING, Mich.) -- Carrie Deklyen is currently 21 weeks pregnant and on a ventilator and feeding tube. Her family says she chose to delay her own treatments for a life-threatening tumor to save her unborn baby. Now, they wait.

Deklyen, 37, started having headaches in April. After the Wyoming, Michigan, mom woke up vomiting one morning and made a trip to the emergency room, doctors discovered a brain tumor.

She was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, a highly aggressive brain tumor. According to the American Brain Tumor Association, the "highly malignant" tumor spread quickly.

Deklyen had brain surgery to try to remove the tumor. A few weeks later, her sister-in-law Sonya Nelson said that she found out she was pregnant.

Though Deklyen had been planning to participate in a clinical trial at the University of Michigan, her family said, she was told she would need to terminate the pregnancy in order to do so.

"I asked her what she wanted to do. She said, 'We are keeping it,'" Carrie's husband Nick Deklyen told ABC News. "That always was my choice too, but I wanted her to decide because it was her life we were talking about."

Deklyen then had three additional brain surgeries at Michigan Medicine, part of the University Michigan, the family said. Though the tumor was removed twice, it grew back.

On July 27, Nelson drove Carrie Deklyen to the emergency room because she was having severe headaches.

"We thought she would have some fluid removed from her brain and we would head home, but instead she suffered a stroke," Sonya Nelson told ABC News.

"It has been almost three weeks since that day and Carrie has still not woken up," Nelson continued. "Some days we are hopeful that she will wake up because she will wiggle her toes or squeeze our hand. We want her to wake up."

Nelson said the family was told the prognosis is not good, but the baby could survive.

"We are just hoping she can hold on long enough to deliver the baby," she said.

Nick Deklyen said it's been difficult for their other children. The Michigan couple already has five kids -- Elijah, 18, Isaiah, 16, Nevaeh, 11, Lelia, 4, and Jez, 2.

"The older ones obviously understand everything so it is very hard on them," Nick Deklyn said. "They love their mother and know what they are losing. We talk about good times and laugh and then sometimes we just cry because we hurt so much. The younger two do not really understand what is happening. They know they sleep at Aunt Sonya's all the time and do not see Mommy anymore. We tell them that Mommy is really sick."

The hospital told ABC News that she is "on a good path to get through the pregnancy."

"Carrie’s condition is slowly improving, but she’s still critically ill," a spokesperson for the University of Michigan hospital told ABC News. "She is opening her eyes and following commands, like squeezing her hands and wiggling her toes. Our maternal fetal medicine specialists and neurosurgical teams continue to support the DeKlyen family in optimizing care for Carrie and her baby during this difficult situation. We will continue to do everything we can to support them."

Nick Deklyen told ABC News that Carrie is "kind and loving to everyone she meets." He said she would cook meals for neighbors, took her kids on picnics and tucked them in every night.

"I want the world to know that Carrie is truly one of a kind," he said. "She is the most selfless person I have ever met. Her love for Jesus shined through in everything she did. I will miss her so much, but I know we will meet again in heaven when time is done."

The couple picked a name for their unborn daughter -- Life -- and Nick Deklyen said he plans to tell her all about Carrie.

"I will tell her how amazing her mother was," he said. "I will tell her of the great sacrifice that her mom made for her. My kids have been so lucky to call her Mom."

]]>Man drives himself to hospital after nail pierces his hearthttp://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/5c847ee0e67fb040c9cd44c5a2ec83e0
Tue, 15 Aug 2017 14:23:00 -0500http://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/5c847ee0e67fb040c9cd44c5a2ec83e0Goodshot/Thinkstock(PESHTIGO, Wisc.) -- A Wisconsin man is lucky to be alive after a nail pierced his heart during a construction accident.

While building a frame for a fireplace seven weeks ago, Doug Bergeson was holding a nail gun and accidentally fired a three-and-a-half inch nail into his chest.

]]>Total solar eclipse 2017: Tips for safe viewing with glasses, viewers, filters, projectionshttp://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/ab4cb2559940231eceae50eae7682218
Tue, 15 Aug 2017 12:13:00 -0500http://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/ab4cb2559940231eceae50eae7682218iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Wherever you are in the United States on Aug. 21, you may want to look up and watch as the sun goes dark in the moon's shadow.

Any astronomer in this country would suggest that you take advantage of this rare opportunity but not to do so without proper eye protection. And sunglasses won't do.

Looking directly at the sun with the naked eye is unsafe at any time -- except during the brief total phase of a solar eclipse, when the moon entirely covers the sun's beaming face. This phase will happen on Aug. 21 only within the eclipse's narrow path of totality and will last for no longer than two minutes and 40 seconds, according to NASA.

The 70-mile-wide path of totality will sweep across portions of 14 U.S. states: Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. NASA estimates more than 300 million people in the country potentially could directly view the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21.

Meanwhile, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in every U.S. state on Aug. 21. In fact, everyone in North America, as well as parts of South America, Africa and Europe, will see at least a partial eclipse on that day, according to NASA.

There's no health risk to simply being outside during an eclipse. But the only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially-eclipsed sun during this astronomical event is through special-purpose solar filters.

Eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers

Anyone who plans to view the eclipse with just their eyes must obtain a pair of "eclipse glasses" or handheld solar viewers, which are regulated by an international safety standard.

NASA recommends checking the safety and authenticity of eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers to make sure they meet all of the following criteria to meet basic safe viewing standards:

Have certification information with a designated ISO 12312-2 international standard.

Have the manufacturer’s name and address printed somewhere on the product.

Not be used if they have scratched or damaged lenses.

Not use homemade filters.

Ordinary sunglasses -- even very dark ones -- should not be used as a replacement for eclipse-viewing glasses or handheld solar viewers.

With counterfeit eclipse glasses hitting the market, NASA and the American Astronomical Society suggest that consumers only purchase off the list of verified products to ensure safe viewing.

The American Astronomical Society says a number of manufacturers have certified that their eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard for such products. For more information on reputable vendors, click here.

Some eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers come with warnings saying you shouldn't look through them for more than 3 minutes at a time and that you should discard them if they are more than 3 years old. Be sure to read and follow any instructions printed on or packaged with them.

According to the American Astronomical Society, you must cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses or solar viewer before looking up at the sun. After looking at the sun, turn away and remove your filter. Do not remove it while looking at the sun.

If you are viewing the eclipse inside its path of totality, remove your eclipse glasses or solar viewer only when the moon's shadow completely blocks the sun and the sky suddenly darkens. Enjoy this rare and striking experience of totality. But as soon as the sun's bright face begins to reappear, cover your eyes again with the eclipse glasses or solar viewer to look at the remaining partial phases.

Outside the path of totality, you must always use safe eclipse glasses or a solar viewer to look directly at the sun.

Remember to always supervise children using eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers.

"Looking at the sun without eclipse glasses or solar viewers can cause ‘eclipse blindness’ or retinal burns,” said Nirav Shah, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. “Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun.”

If you normally wear eyeglasses, the American Astronomical Society says to keep them on and put your eclipse glasses on over them or hold your handheld viewer in front of them.

Over 6,800 libraries across the country are distributing safety-certified glasses for the Aug. 21 eclipse, with many collaborating with scientists to hold viewing events and activities before and during the event. For a list of participating libraries, click here.

Solar filters

If you plan on watching the eclipse through a camera, telescope, binoculars or any other optical device, the American Astronomical Society says to buy a solar filter to place on the end of the lens. Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through any of these without a solar filter.

Similarly, do not look at the sun through any of these while wearing eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer. The concentrated rays could damage the filter and cause serious injury to your eyes, according to the American Astronomical Society.

If you are within the path of totality, remove the solar filter from your optical device only when the moon completely covers the sun's face. Replace the filter as soon as the sun begins to reappear to watch the remaining partial phases of the eclipse.

Outside the path of totality, you must always use a safe solar filter to look directly at the sun through an optical device.

The American Astronomical Society advises to always inspect your solar filter before use. If the filter is scratched, punctured, torn or otherwise damaged, discard it. Be sure to read and follow any instructions printed on or packaged with the filter.

As long as filters aren't damaged in any way, the American Astronomical Society says you may reuse them indefinitely.

The American Astronomical Society recommends seeking expert advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with a camera, telescope, binoculars or any other optical device.

A number of manufacturers have certified that their solar filters for cameras, telescopes and binoculars meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard for such products, according to the American Astronomical Society. For more information on reputable vendors, click here.

Remember to always supervise children using solar filters.

Pinhole projection, other safe viewing methods

There are alternative methods for safely viewing the partially eclipsed sun. One convenient technique is pinhole projection, by simply passing sunlight through a small opening and projecting an image of the sun onto a nearby surface. And you don't need any special equipment.

Follow the American Astronomical Society's instructions on how to create a pinhole projection during the partial phase of a solar eclipse using just your hands:

Cross the outstretched, slightly open fingers of one hand over the outstretched, slightly open fingers of the other.

With your back to the sun, look at your hands’ shadow on the ground. The little spaces between your fingers will project a grid of small images on the ground. During the partial phases of the solar eclipse, these images will reveal the sun's crescent shape.

If there are any nearby leafy trees, look at the shadows of the leaves on the ground. During the partial solar eclipse, the tiny spaces between the leaves will act as pinhole projectors, dappling the ground with images of the crescent sun.

Remember that pinhole projection doesn't mean looking at the sun through a pinhole. Rather, you project sunlight through the hole onto a surface, such as a wall or the ground, and you look at the solar image on that surface.

Pinhole projection is not useful for observing the total phase of a total solar eclipse because the projected image would be too faint to see. The American Astronomical Society says it is perfectly safe to look directly at the eclipsed sun during totality.

]]>iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Wherever you are in the United States on Aug. 21, you may want to look up and watch as the sun goes dark in the moon's shadow.

Any astronomer in this country would suggest that you take advantage of this rare opportunity but not to do so without proper eye protection. And sunglasses won't do.

Looking directly at the sun with the naked eye is unsafe at any time -- except during the brief total phase of a solar eclipse, when the moon entirely covers the sun's beaming face. This phase will happen on Aug. 21 only within the eclipse's narrow path of totality and will last for no longer than two minutes and 40 seconds, according to NASA.

The 70-mile-wide path of totality will sweep across portions of 14 U.S. states: Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. NASA estimates more than 300 million people in the country potentially could directly view the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21.

Meanwhile, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in every U.S. state on Aug. 21. In fact, everyone in North America, as well as parts of South America, Africa and Europe, will see at least a partial eclipse on that day, according to NASA.

There's no health risk to simply being outside during an eclipse. But the only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially-eclipsed sun during this astronomical event is through special-purpose solar filters.

Eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers

Anyone who plans to view the eclipse with just their eyes must obtain a pair of "eclipse glasses" or handheld solar viewers, which are regulated by an international safety standard.

NASA recommends checking the safety and authenticity of eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers to make sure they meet all of the following criteria to meet basic safe viewing standards:

Have certification information with a designated ISO 12312-2 international standard.

Have the manufacturer’s name and address printed somewhere on the product.

Not be used if they have scratched or damaged lenses.

Not use homemade filters.

Ordinary sunglasses -- even very dark ones -- should not be used as a replacement for eclipse-viewing glasses or handheld solar viewers.

With counterfeit eclipse glasses hitting the market, NASA and the American Astronomical Society suggest that consumers only purchase off the list of verified products to ensure safe viewing.

The American Astronomical Society says a number of manufacturers have certified that their eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard for such products. For more information on reputable vendors, click here.

Some eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers come with warnings saying you shouldn't look through them for more than 3 minutes at a time and that you should discard them if they are more than 3 years old. Be sure to read and follow any instructions printed on or packaged with them.

According to the American Astronomical Society, you must cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses or solar viewer before looking up at the sun. After looking at the sun, turn away and remove your filter. Do not remove it while looking at the sun.

If you are viewing the eclipse inside its path of totality, remove your eclipse glasses or solar viewer only when the moon's shadow completely blocks the sun and the sky suddenly darkens. Enjoy this rare and striking experience of totality. But as soon as the sun's bright face begins to reappear, cover your eyes again with the eclipse glasses or solar viewer to look at the remaining partial phases.

Outside the path of totality, you must always use safe eclipse glasses or a solar viewer to look directly at the sun.

Remember to always supervise children using eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers.

"Looking at the sun without eclipse glasses or solar viewers can cause ‘eclipse blindness’ or retinal burns,” said Nirav Shah, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. “Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun.”

If you normally wear eyeglasses, the American Astronomical Society says to keep them on and put your eclipse glasses on over them or hold your handheld viewer in front of them.

Over 6,800 libraries across the country are distributing safety-certified glasses for the Aug. 21 eclipse, with many collaborating with scientists to hold viewing events and activities before and during the event. For a list of participating libraries, click here.

Solar filters

If you plan on watching the eclipse through a camera, telescope, binoculars or any other optical device, the American Astronomical Society says to buy a solar filter to place on the end of the lens. Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through any of these without a solar filter.

Similarly, do not look at the sun through any of these while wearing eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer. The concentrated rays could damage the filter and cause serious injury to your eyes, according to the American Astronomical Society.

If you are within the path of totality, remove the solar filter from your optical device only when the moon completely covers the sun's face. Replace the filter as soon as the sun begins to reappear to watch the remaining partial phases of the eclipse.

Outside the path of totality, you must always use a safe solar filter to look directly at the sun through an optical device.

The American Astronomical Society advises to always inspect your solar filter before use. If the filter is scratched, punctured, torn or otherwise damaged, discard it. Be sure to read and follow any instructions printed on or packaged with the filter.

As long as filters aren't damaged in any way, the American Astronomical Society says you may reuse them indefinitely.

The American Astronomical Society recommends seeking expert advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with a camera, telescope, binoculars or any other optical device.

A number of manufacturers have certified that their solar filters for cameras, telescopes and binoculars meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard for such products, according to the American Astronomical Society. For more information on reputable vendors, click here.

Remember to always supervise children using solar filters.

Pinhole projection, other safe viewing methods

There are alternative methods for safely viewing the partially eclipsed sun. One convenient technique is pinhole projection, by simply passing sunlight through a small opening and projecting an image of the sun onto a nearby surface. And you don't need any special equipment.

Follow the American Astronomical Society's instructions on how to create a pinhole projection during the partial phase of a solar eclipse using just your hands:

Cross the outstretched, slightly open fingers of one hand over the outstretched, slightly open fingers of the other.

With your back to the sun, look at your hands’ shadow on the ground. The little spaces between your fingers will project a grid of small images on the ground. During the partial phases of the solar eclipse, these images will reveal the sun's crescent shape.

If there are any nearby leafy trees, look at the shadows of the leaves on the ground. During the partial solar eclipse, the tiny spaces between the leaves will act as pinhole projectors, dappling the ground with images of the crescent sun.

Remember that pinhole projection doesn't mean looking at the sun through a pinhole. Rather, you project sunlight through the hole onto a surface, such as a wall or the ground, and you look at the solar image on that surface.

Pinhole projection is not useful for observing the total phase of a total solar eclipse because the projected image would be too faint to see. The American Astronomical Society says it is perfectly safe to look directly at the eclipsed sun during totality.

]]>Study links a lack of sleep in children with increased risk of developing Type 2 diabeteshttp://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/c4d40e30c77c99b0f48fc1c8163f4319
Tue, 15 Aug 2017 09:29:00 -0500http://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/c4d40e30c77c99b0f48fc1c8163f4319iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Children who sleep on average one hour less at night have higher risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published Tuesday by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Researchers observed self-reported sleep times, then took body measurements and blood samples in over 4,500 children aged 9 through 10 in Britain. Children who slept on average one hour longer per night had a lower body mass index, lower insulin resistance, and lower fasting glucose than children who slept an hour less.

While the study did not follow the participants long enough to see if they actually developed diabetes, the markers that are considered type 2 diabetes risk factors in adults were there.

The researchers suggest that increasing sleep duration by even half an hour could be associated with a lower body mass index and a reduction in insulin resistance.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend 11 to 14 hours of sleep a night for children ages one to two and 10 to 13 hours of sleep for ages three through five. In school-aged children, the groups recommend nine to 12 hours of sleep a night for children up to 12 and eight to ten hours of sleep for teenagers.

Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez, a pediatric specialist, told ABC News that she often tells her patients that sleep is just as important for health as eating healthy or getting enough exercise.

Not enough sleep for children is linked to decreased academic performance, irritability and behavior problems, difficulty concentrating, and now even an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, according to Bracho-Sanchez.

Bracho-Sanchez adds that her number one tip for parents looking to increase the amount of sleep their child gets each night is to remove all electronics from the child's bedroom before they go to sleep, especially their phone.

]]>iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Children who sleep on average one hour less at night have higher risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published Tuesday by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Researchers observed self-reported sleep times, then took body measurements and blood samples in over 4,500 children aged 9 through 10 in Britain. Children who slept on average one hour longer per night had a lower body mass index, lower insulin resistance, and lower fasting glucose than children who slept an hour less.

While the study did not follow the participants long enough to see if they actually developed diabetes, the markers that are considered type 2 diabetes risk factors in adults were there.

The researchers suggest that increasing sleep duration by even half an hour could be associated with a lower body mass index and a reduction in insulin resistance.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend 11 to 14 hours of sleep a night for children ages one to two and 10 to 13 hours of sleep for ages three through five. In school-aged children, the groups recommend nine to 12 hours of sleep a night for children up to 12 and eight to ten hours of sleep for teenagers.

Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez, a pediatric specialist, told ABC News that she often tells her patients that sleep is just as important for health as eating healthy or getting enough exercise.

Not enough sleep for children is linked to decreased academic performance, irritability and behavior problems, difficulty concentrating, and now even an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, according to Bracho-Sanchez.

Bracho-Sanchez adds that her number one tip for parents looking to increase the amount of sleep their child gets each night is to remove all electronics from the child's bedroom before they go to sleep, especially their phone.

]]>'I felt like the monster was chasing us:' Woman speaks out after 11 people in her family get breast cancerhttp://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/f7fb35154d396529eb24c3fbcb5084fd
Tue, 15 Aug 2017 09:16:00 -0500http://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/f7fb35154d396529eb24c3fbcb5084fdABC News(NEW YORK) -- A Pennsylvania woman has made it her mission to raise awareness for the devastation that breast cancer can cause after 11 women in her family -- including herself -- have been diagnosed with the disease.

"I felt like the monster was chasing us and now it's close. I'm thinking to myself, 'I may be next,'" Felicia Johnson told ABC News' Robin Roberts of watching the women in her family, who span three generations, be diagnosed with breast cancer. Johnson opened up to Roberts as part of a new digital series on WebMD, "Advanced Breast Cancer: Courage, Comfort and Care With Robin Roberts."

Johnson added that she is especially trying to encourage a more open conversation about the disease within the African-American community. Black women in the U.S. were more likely to die of breast cancer than any other race or ethnicity group, according to data released in 2014 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Our culture as African-American people, we're very, very private," Johnson said. "We keep things hidden, so there was just silence."

Johnson said this is what partly what inspired her to speak out so openly about her own experience with the disease that has waged a war on her family.

Dr. Lisa Newman, the director of the Breast Cancer Oncology Program at the Henry Ford Cancer Institute, said that Johnson's work is important as an especially deadly form of breast cancer, known as triple-negative, is more common within the African-American community.

"We know that triple-negative breast cancer is twice as common in African-American women compared to white American women," Newman said, adding that she is researching possible causes for this alarming statistic.

Johnson said she feels her advocacy work is important because "without information you suffer."

"You want to give yourself the best opportunity that science has to fight your disease," she added.

Johnson also says she hopes to use her own story of survival to encourage other woman who may be afflicted with the disease.

"She needs what you went through so she can see ... that there's hope," Johnson said. "When I told someone that I have stage 4, when I told someone I had triple-negative, and they see that I'm alive ... OK, there's hope."

The full episodes for the digital series "Advanced Breast Cancer: Courage, Comfort and Care With Robin Roberts" can be seen on the WebMD website.

]]>ABC News(NEW YORK) -- A Pennsylvania woman has made it her mission to raise awareness for the devastation that breast cancer can cause after 11 women in her family -- including herself -- have been diagnosed with the disease.

"I felt like the monster was chasing us and now it's close. I'm thinking to myself, 'I may be next,'" Felicia Johnson told ABC News' Robin Roberts of watching the women in her family, who span three generations, be diagnosed with breast cancer. Johnson opened up to Roberts as part of a new digital series on WebMD, "Advanced Breast Cancer: Courage, Comfort and Care With Robin Roberts."

Johnson added that she is especially trying to encourage a more open conversation about the disease within the African-American community. Black women in the U.S. were more likely to die of breast cancer than any other race or ethnicity group, according to data released in 2014 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Our culture as African-American people, we're very, very private," Johnson said. "We keep things hidden, so there was just silence."

Johnson said this is what partly what inspired her to speak out so openly about her own experience with the disease that has waged a war on her family.

Dr. Lisa Newman, the director of the Breast Cancer Oncology Program at the Henry Ford Cancer Institute, said that Johnson's work is important as an especially deadly form of breast cancer, known as triple-negative, is more common within the African-American community.

"We know that triple-negative breast cancer is twice as common in African-American women compared to white American women," Newman said, adding that she is researching possible causes for this alarming statistic.

Johnson said she feels her advocacy work is important because "without information you suffer."

"You want to give yourself the best opportunity that science has to fight your disease," she added.

Johnson also says she hopes to use her own story of survival to encourage other woman who may be afflicted with the disease.

"She needs what you went through so she can see ... that there's hope," Johnson said. "When I told someone that I have stage 4, when I told someone I had triple-negative, and they see that I'm alive ... OK, there's hope."

The full episodes for the digital series "Advanced Breast Cancer: Courage, Comfort and Care With Robin Roberts" can be seen on the WebMD website.

]]>Teacher inspires student after her unexpected pregnancyhttp://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/1db02f8ed504d5df41b684bbf73e77da
Tue, 15 Aug 2017 06:48:00 -0500http://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/1db02f8ed504d5df41b684bbf73e77daABC News(HARLINGEN, Texas) -- After Yvette Luna discovered she was pregnant in high school, she transferred to Keys Academy in Harlingen, Texas, where her parents hoped the small student-teacher ratio would help Luna stay on track to graduate.

Years later, she thanked her math teacher, Juan Antonio Fraga, 66, for giving her “the skills that I needed to be successful.”

“Keys [Academy] is not just about economics. It’s about people who are helping people, building up relationships. The job sometimes is not that easy because a lot of students might not be initially focused as to what they want to do,” said Fraga.

Luna, 31, said Fraga taught her skills that went far beyond basic equations.

“I want to say thank you for always believing in me when things were tough. There was times when I didn’t believe in myself, and you believed in me. You allowed me to go further my education and I thank you for that,” she said.

Yvette now teaches fourth grade at a local elementary school. In 2017, Fraga and his former student both received “Teacher of the Year” awards from their respective schools.

“I love my students, I care about them. Those are the qualities that I got from Mr. Fraga that I take into my classroom,” said Luna.

]]>ABC News(HARLINGEN, Texas) -- After Yvette Luna discovered she was pregnant in high school, she transferred to Keys Academy in Harlingen, Texas, where her parents hoped the small student-teacher ratio would help Luna stay on track to graduate.

Years later, she thanked her math teacher, Juan Antonio Fraga, 66, for giving her “the skills that I needed to be successful.”

“Keys [Academy] is not just about economics. It’s about people who are helping people, building up relationships. The job sometimes is not that easy because a lot of students might not be initially focused as to what they want to do,” said Fraga.

Luna, 31, said Fraga taught her skills that went far beyond basic equations.

“I want to say thank you for always believing in me when things were tough. There was times when I didn’t believe in myself, and you believed in me. You allowed me to go further my education and I thank you for that,” she said.

Yvette now teaches fourth grade at a local elementary school. In 2017, Fraga and his former student both received “Teacher of the Year” awards from their respective schools.

“I love my students, I care about them. Those are the qualities that I got from Mr. Fraga that I take into my classroom,” said Luna.

]]>Man gets tattoo replica of 9-year-old son's burn scarshttp://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/aac24324c5cd677e85f0ab23a5756e96
Mon, 14 Aug 2017 16:37:00 -0500http://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/aac24324c5cd677e85f0ab23a5756e96Joel Thomas(FESTUS, Mo.) -- A Missouri dad has received a special tattoo to help his 9-year-old son cope with year-old burn scars.

In 2016, Landon Thomas accidentally fell into a bonfire at home and badly burned his right leg and foot, his father, Joel Thomas, told ABC News.

"At first, he had to wear compression socks to help him heal and even after, he wore long socks to hide [the scars]," said Thomas, 31, of Festus, Missouri.

To give his son a boost of confidence, Thomas said he offered to get a tattoo that would match the scars Landon sustained.

Thomas then put in an application to the show "Ink Master" on the Spike network. Two weeks ago, an episode of Thomas receiving his tattoo with Landon by his side aired.

A spokeswoman for Spike told ABC News that Thomas was tattooed by “Ink Master” competitors Jessy Knuckles and Allisin Riot, employees of Pinz and Needlez tattoo shop in Maryland.

“Joel and Landon were exactly the story we were hoping to tell: a dedicated and loving parent who wants to show his son that scars are what make you unique,” Ink Master's executive producer Andrea Richter wrote to ABC News in an email.

Thomas’ fiancé Melissa Kuhlmann called Thomas’ tattoo a “beautiful reminder” of the bond between father and son.

“I don’t know many people that would purposely scar themselves,” Kuhlmann told ABC News. “Joel would do anything for his children.”

Thomas' scar tattoo is complete with Landon's initials.

"[Landon] loves it," Thomas said of the tattoo. "The fact that I was willing to carry that along with him--that load of the scar and the pain of something that happened in his life, it made us a lot closer."

]]>Joel Thomas(FESTUS, Mo.) -- A Missouri dad has received a special tattoo to help his 9-year-old son cope with year-old burn scars.

In 2016, Landon Thomas accidentally fell into a bonfire at home and badly burned his right leg and foot, his father, Joel Thomas, told ABC News.

"At first, he had to wear compression socks to help him heal and even after, he wore long socks to hide [the scars]," said Thomas, 31, of Festus, Missouri.

To give his son a boost of confidence, Thomas said he offered to get a tattoo that would match the scars Landon sustained.

Thomas then put in an application to the show "Ink Master" on the Spike network. Two weeks ago, an episode of Thomas receiving his tattoo with Landon by his side aired.

A spokeswoman for Spike told ABC News that Thomas was tattooed by “Ink Master” competitors Jessy Knuckles and Allisin Riot, employees of Pinz and Needlez tattoo shop in Maryland.

“Joel and Landon were exactly the story we were hoping to tell: a dedicated and loving parent who wants to show his son that scars are what make you unique,” Ink Master's executive producer Andrea Richter wrote to ABC News in an email.

Thomas’ fiancé Melissa Kuhlmann called Thomas’ tattoo a “beautiful reminder” of the bond between father and son.

“I don’t know many people that would purposely scar themselves,” Kuhlmann told ABC News. “Joel would do anything for his children.”

Thomas' scar tattoo is complete with Landon's initials.

"[Landon] loves it," Thomas said of the tattoo. "The fact that I was willing to carry that along with him--that load of the scar and the pain of something that happened in his life, it made us a lot closer."

]]>The heartwarming reason why parents took newborn photos with 21-year-old sonhttp://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/b08af20625dccbd1770245a2803d7aba
Mon, 14 Aug 2017 13:36:00 -0500http://stillwaterradio.net/abc-health-news/b08af20625dccbd1770245a2803d7abaChaotic Perfection Photography (LOS ANGELES) -- One newborn photographer never got a chance to give her own child the posed photos that new moms and dads love. So she decided that despite 21 years passing, she'd finally take "newborn" photos of her first son.

Rebecca Hayes told ABC News that she got the idea to take the silly photos of her son, Clayton Jensvold, back in March right after photographing one of her clients.

"I threw it out there just sort of joking around," she recalled.

Hayes, 38, had no idea that her partner and high school sweetheart David Ward would completely be on board. Their son, which Hayes had at 16 years old, was also game to her delight.

"He’s got a really quick wit and dry sense of humor and so he’s a hard read," Hayes said of her son, "but with this he just like sat up, saying, 'We have to do this.'"

It was especially important for the couple, who dated for years in an Orange, California, high school before breaking up after they discovered they were expecting.

"It got a little bit complicated and we just parted ways," Hayes explained.

The two both went on to marry and have children in those relationships. Still, after the death of Hayes' husband in 2013, she reconnected with her high school sweetheart, who helped her cope.

It was perfect timing as Ward, 40, would soon need to lean on her once his wife was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. She passed away a year later.

"We didn’t know any other people who had passed so young so we had each other," Hayes said. "Then one day we looked at each other and said, 'What the hell?'"

The two have been dating since January.

Ward added of the full-circle moment, "It's weird but it's a good weird."

]]>Chaotic Perfection Photography (LOS ANGELES) -- One newborn photographer never got a chance to give her own child the posed photos that new moms and dads love. So she decided that despite 21 years passing, she'd finally take "newborn" photos of her first son.

Rebecca Hayes told ABC News that she got the idea to take the silly photos of her son, Clayton Jensvold, back in March right after photographing one of her clients.

"I threw it out there just sort of joking around," she recalled.

Hayes, 38, had no idea that her partner and high school sweetheart David Ward would completely be on board. Their son, which Hayes had at 16 years old, was also game to her delight.

"He’s got a really quick wit and dry sense of humor and so he’s a hard read," Hayes said of her son, "but with this he just like sat up, saying, 'We have to do this.'"

It was especially important for the couple, who dated for years in an Orange, California, high school before breaking up after they discovered they were expecting.

"It got a little bit complicated and we just parted ways," Hayes explained.

The two both went on to marry and have children in those relationships. Still, after the death of Hayes' husband in 2013, she reconnected with her high school sweetheart, who helped her cope.

It was perfect timing as Ward, 40, would soon need to lean on her once his wife was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. She passed away a year later.

"We didn’t know any other people who had passed so young so we had each other," Hayes said. "Then one day we looked at each other and said, 'What the hell?'"

The two have been dating since January.

Ward added of the full-circle moment, "It's weird but it's a good weird."

In May 2011 a roadside bomb tore off Captain Galeazzi’s legs and much of his right arm, just a month before he was expecting to return home.

“It felt like I was an empty coke can on train tracks getting hit by a freight train moving at 100 miles per hour,” said Galeazzi.

Without a medic on the ground, there was no available pain medication.

“All I could do was scream,” Galeazzi recalled. “It’s hard to put into words that sickening, nauseating feeling to see that my legs were just gone.”

Due to his unit’s remote position in northern Afghanistan, Galeazzi had little hope of receiving timely medical support.

“I put my head back and just thought, 'I’m dead,'” he said.

He passed out. Upon waking just minutes later, he discovered that his soldiers had successfully applied tourniquets to both his legs and right arm, which had been nearly severed at the shoulder. A half hour later a Medivac helicopter arrived to take him to the trauma bay.

“What I found out then was that the real nightmare was really just beginning,” said Galeazzi.

He endured over 50 surgeries, hundreds of hours of physical therapy, and numerous months as a hospital in-patient.

But the traumatic experience and new limitations did not diminish Galeazzi’s dream of becoming a doctor.

“Not only did I still want to practice medicine, but it strengthened my resolve to do it,” explained Galeazzi.

Over the next few years, Galeazzi took more than 18 pre-medical courses and achieved his desired score on the MCAT entrance.

Galeazzi was accepted into Harvard Medical School this past year and is the only student who uses a wheelchair in his class of 165 students. He has not yet decided what type of medicine he’ll eventually practice, but is leaning toward a primary care field.

“You’re that first line of defense. You need to know a little bit about everything. I like the idea of being a jack of all trades,” he said.

Galeazzi also looks forward to marrying his fiance Jazmine Romero next year.

“Even though I’ve gone through this journey, it’s not lost on me how unbelievable this ride has been,” said Galeazzi.

In May 2011 a roadside bomb tore off Captain Galeazzi’s legs and much of his right arm, just a month before he was expecting to return home.

“It felt like I was an empty coke can on train tracks getting hit by a freight train moving at 100 miles per hour,” said Galeazzi.

Without a medic on the ground, there was no available pain medication.

“All I could do was scream,” Galeazzi recalled. “It’s hard to put into words that sickening, nauseating feeling to see that my legs were just gone.”

Due to his unit’s remote position in northern Afghanistan, Galeazzi had little hope of receiving timely medical support.

“I put my head back and just thought, 'I’m dead,'” he said.

He passed out. Upon waking just minutes later, he discovered that his soldiers had successfully applied tourniquets to both his legs and right arm, which had been nearly severed at the shoulder. A half hour later a Medivac helicopter arrived to take him to the trauma bay.

“What I found out then was that the real nightmare was really just beginning,” said Galeazzi.

He endured over 50 surgeries, hundreds of hours of physical therapy, and numerous months as a hospital in-patient.

But the traumatic experience and new limitations did not diminish Galeazzi’s dream of becoming a doctor.

“Not only did I still want to practice medicine, but it strengthened my resolve to do it,” explained Galeazzi.

Over the next few years, Galeazzi took more than 18 pre-medical courses and achieved his desired score on the MCAT entrance.

Galeazzi was accepted into Harvard Medical School this past year and is the only student who uses a wheelchair in his class of 165 students. He has not yet decided what type of medicine he’ll eventually practice, but is leaning toward a primary care field.

“You’re that first line of defense. You need to know a little bit about everything. I like the idea of being a jack of all trades,” he said.

Galeazzi also looks forward to marrying his fiance Jazmine Romero next year.

“Even though I’ve gone through this journey, it’s not lost on me how unbelievable this ride has been,” said Galeazzi.